How Marta Kostyuk evolved into a Grand Slam conten...
Article excerpt
Marta Kostyuk makes history Thursday as the first Ukrainian woman to reach the French Open semifinals, facing Mirra Andreeva in a matchup that caps an unlikely rise for the 22-year-old. Kostyuk's path to Roland Garros' final four wasn't linear, she has battled injuries, endured sponsorship losses after speaking out on geopolitical issues, and clawed her way back from ranking depths to contend at tennis's highest level. The semifinal represents a breakthrough for a player who seemed destined for stardom years ago but whose career has been marked by obstacles both on and off the court.